Sunday

An attorney’s lawsuit against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been given new life.

The 4th District Court of Appeal has reversed a circuit judge’s ruling that victims’ attorney Brad Edwards had no legal basis for claims in his lawsuit against Epstein.

Edwards filed the lawsuit against Epstein, alleging abuse of process and malicious prosecution. Epstein’s attorney Chester Brewer successfully argued that all of Edwards’ claims were generated from judicial proceedings, which fall under litigation privilege.

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The Nov. 12 appellate ruling noted that the circuit judge "properly relied" on a 3rd District Court of Appeal decision — in effect at the time — when he dismissed Edwards’ claims in January 2014. But a 2015 decision by the 4th District Court of Appeal concluded litigation privilege does not bar malicious prosecution claims. So following its own precedent, the 4th DCA reversed the trial court’s decision, reinstating Edwards’ malicious prosecution claim and remanding the action to the trial court.

Because of the conflict between the districts, the issue is likely to be resolved by the Florida Supreme Court.

Edwards, who represented multiple underage victims in their sex abuse claims against the Palm Beach billionaire, alleged Epstein initially filed a lawsuit against him with "baseless and unsupportable claims" to get Edwards to back down from representing victims. Epstein dropped his lawsuit against Edwards in August 2012.